Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Halton

Good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff provide personalised care that supports young people to make progress in all areas of their development.  Staff have a good understanding and knowledge of each young person’s needs.  Young people enjoy warm and positive relationships with staff.  Staff make every effort to promote the educational attendance of young people. However, attendance for some young people is variable.  Staff work very closely with a range of professionals to promote good outcomes for young people.  The Registered Manager has a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home and there is a development plan in place that focuses on improvements.  Young people say they feel safe in the home. Staff use incentives to promote positive behaviour and progress.  Staff encourage young people to undertake a range of household tasks, such as doing their own laundry, budgeting and shopping. However, those young people who are preparing for more independent living struggle with

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The children's home provision is good because:

this.  Young people’s views are regularly sought on all aspects of their lives. This ensures young people feel valued and respected.  Young people are encouraged to participate in a wide range of social activities that promotes their engagement and inclusion in the local community.  Staff say they feel well supported. They receive regular supervision and training to ensure they are skilled and competent in meeting the complex needs of young people.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 Staff must help each child to prepare for any moves from the home, this includes supporting the child to develop emotional and mental resilience to cope without the home's support and, where the child is moving to live independently, practical skills such as cooking, housework, budgeting and personal self-care.(The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 17 paragraph 3.27)

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Recommendations

 Ensure staff continue to support and encourage each young person to continue in their education or training and support them to develop the skills necessary to succeed in the option they choose. (The Guide to the Quality Care Standards, page 28 paragraph 5.16)

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Information about this children's home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to three young people with emotional and or behavioural difficulties. It is operated by a large national private provider.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

11/03/2015 CH - Interim improved effectiveness

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good

Young people enjoy positive and constructive relationships with staff and each other. Staff have high aspirations for each young person and are committed to ensuring they overcome their difficulties. This ensures they are making good progress, however slight, from their starting point. A placing social worker said,‘ my young person is really enjoying living there and is fitting in with the other young people. I know the staff are working really well.’ Another said, ‘emotionally he has come on quite a lot. He is undertaking some life story work and the staff support him well after this…he is maturing really well.′

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good

Care planning is individual to each young person and they are encouraged to contribute to the development of their plans. Weekly house meetings and key work sessions ensure young people are fully involved in decisions about them. This means they know that their views and opinions are important. A young person commented, ‘ I can talk to my key worker, they do listen to me but they get annoying after a while as they talk a lot!′

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good

Regular attendance in education or training can fluctuate for some young people. Despite working closely with education providers to promote good attendance, this can prove challenging at times. Young people recognise the importance of good attendance in improving their future life chances. One young person said, ‘I want to attend more as I want to get my Maths and English grades higher.’ A placing social worker commented that the staff encourage her young person to complete his college work. In addition they ensure those young people who are undertaking vocational training are equipped with the necessary work wear to promote their health and safety.

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good

Young people live in a healthy environment where their physical, emotional and psychological health is very well promoted. The mental health needs of every young person are fully assessed on admission to ensure their emotional and mental health is met. Staff have access to the organisations clinical team so that they are able to respond appropriately to young people’s presenting difficulties. A member of staff said, ‘they help us to make the links to behaviour and a young person’s past.’ This ensures the staff are competent and skilled to meet the needs of each young person.

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good

Young people have access to a range of activities in the local community. They attend the local youth club and one young person was chosen to represent the club at a charity ball. Two young people also enjoyed a camping trip with the National Youth Service and a young person is a marshal at a race event track. Young people are continually encouraged to try new and stimulating activities, which increases their confidence and self-esteem.

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good

Staff support and encourage young people to develop their independence skills. They do their own laundry and are encouraged to take more responsibility for themselves by travelling independently, learning to budget, shop and cook. However, some young people are struggling with this, which means they will not be totally ready to live independently.

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good

Arrangements for contact are very well promoted. A placing social worker commented on the positive work undertaken by the staff to promote family contact for their particular young person. In addition parents and friends are able to visit the home. This ensures that important attachments are maintained and young people's sense of identity is promoted.

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good

Comprehensive risk assessments are regularly reviewed and updated to reflect young people's vulnerabilities and how these will be met. Through regular key working sessions staff help young people to recognise the potential risks associated with their risk taking behaviour and how to manage these, so that they become increasingly more safe. In addition the local police community support officer (PCSO) visited the home and spoke to some young people about the use of illegal drugs. This raises their awareness of the risks connected with this and further promotes their welfare and safety.

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good

Young people rarely go missing from the home and this represents significant progress for some young people from their starting point of placement. However, one young person’s missing behaviour placed them at significant risk which resulted in them moving to a secure placement. When young people go missing, staff follow clear, established procedures, which ensure they return as quickly as possible. Staff maintain regular contact with young people via their mobile phones when they are having unsupervised time away from the home. One young person said, ‘the staff want to know where I’m going and who with.′ This proactive approach increases their safety and security.

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good

Young people benefit from clear and consistent boundaries. Behaviour is well managed and staff work with young people to help them find more appropriate ways of managing their behaviour. A young person said, ‘I have improved in my behaviour… I have become much better…I deal with my anger better like going outside for a walk or I chill out in my bedroom. They do listen to me when I’m worried or unhappy.′ Young people respond well to positive reinforcements, and as a result physical interventions and sanctions are rarely used.

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good

Regular health and safety checks of the building, including fire drills, ensure young people live in a physically safe environment.

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good

The very experienced and highly competent Registered Manager has been in post since 2008. She provides strong leadership and direction to the staff team. She is also registered to manage another home within the organisation; however, she manages to divide her time well between the two homes. There is a suitably qualified first line manager who deputises in her absence.

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good

At the time of the inspection the Statement of Purpose required some revision and updating; the manager rectified this immediately. Care planning and practice are in line with the Statement of Purpose because young people live in a nurturing environment and receive positive parenting. The manager has addressed the previous recommendation made at the last inspection, relating to the repairs to the flooring in the staff office.

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good

The manager and her first line manager are fully committed to delivering high quality child care and improving outcomes for young people. She has a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses and there is a development plan in place which sets out her objectives for the coming year. These include increasing young people’s participation in education and independence.

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good

Young people benefit from good staffing levels. Staff practice is strengthened by regular supervision, appraisals, team meetings and training. A member of staff commented, ‘the managers are very approachable, they are very supportive, the whole team have the same goals for the young people.′ In addition they have good development opportunities including progressing to team leader. One member of staff has just been made clinical champion; she will be the main link between the home and the clinical team. Consequently, staff morale is high and they are confident in their practice.

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good

Young people’s needs and progress are well monitored. It is clear from their records how they are doing in terms of their health and well-being, education and achievements. They use the fortnightly consultation with a member of the clinical team to reflect on practice. As a result, they are able to challenge professionals where they have concerns and ensure that the right help and support is provided.

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good

The quality of relationships between other professionals and parents is very good. One placing social worker said, ‘I can’t praise them enough, they go the extra mile…they are child focused and advocate for him.’ Social workers expressed their satisfaction with the standard of care and engagement with young people.

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good

The manager and staff can clearly demonstrate the positive impact living at the home is having on the lives of young people. The staff team are child focused and provide effective support to young people with complex emotional needs.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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